THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: A shot, but the time is now for M's

Normally, I’m about as optimistic as you can get.

Good seasons out of local teams, I really believe everyone has a shot to make a run.

That is, if everything goes according to plan.

Sometimes, it just doesn’t, does it?

SURE, THERE is still a glimmer of hope for the Seattle Mariners to figure it out and find a way past the Houston Astros for the American League West championship as the Mariners sit 4 ½ games back entering Friday’s games.

So take care of business in the next two weeks, and give yourself a shot, right Mariners?

The task got a lot tougher with a come-from-ahead loss to Texas on Thursday night, the first of a four-game series that could wind up putting the defending World Series champions back in the playoff mix if something doesn’t change soon.

Meanwhile, Seattle plays host to the New York Yankees for four games starting next Monday night.

Think the Yankees aren’t playing for something in September? You’d be mistaken.

New York is at the top of the AL East right now, and with Baltimore closing in, there’s no time for the Yankees to be playing catch-up either.

Whether the season extends into mid-October or not, this season has been a giant letdown for the Mariners, no doubt about it.

For as talented as Julio Rodriguez is, he hasn’t played his best all season. Whether it be an ankle injury and missing time, or just not seeing pitches at the plate, he isn’t the same player that he was as a rookie in 2022.

Same goes for the team’s pitching, which is relying on guys that you’d have to Google to figure out their career stats.

Not having Matt Brash or Gregory Santos this season has made it difficult to hold leads in late innings, especially in Thursday’s loss to Texas.

Seattle led 3-1 in the fourth inning, but Texas found a way to rally for a 5-4 win. All this while announcing Corey Seager was out for the remainder of the season earlier in the day due to surgery for a sports hernia.

Texas is still fighting for something, albeit a long shot.

It really makes you wonder sometimes if the Mariners are fighting for the same thing.

AS FOR how to solve those problems within the Mariners, your guess is as good as mine.

You could fire some folks in the front office, but whoever you bring in is going to have the same issues that the current regime has.

And it seems like M’s manager Dan Wilson isn’t going anywhere after the team finishes the season.

I don’t think that Wilson is the problem, but they need to do some upgrades in and around the stadium.

They’ve tried to move the fences in, change the batter’s eye in centerfield and make it more hitter-friendly.

And it seemed to work for the visiting team.

Maybe it’s time to go find some guys that can get the job done and want to be in Seattle.

These upgrades, whether around T-Mobile Park or to the players that play on it, will cost money.

Not just hope it just works out.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at jelliott@cdapress.com. Follow him on Twitter @JECdAPress.